Refrigerator car door



DSG I4, 1937. s. B. HASELTINE REFRIGERATOR CAR DOOR I Filed June 1, 19564 sheets-Sheet 1 @L to Dec. 14, 1937.

S. B. HASELTINE REFRIGERATOR CAR DOOR Filed June 1, 193e 4 sheets-sheet2 Dec. 14, 1937. s `B, HASELUNE 2,101,942

REFRIGERATOR CAR DOOR Filed June l, 1936 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 44 Inverza zcy.Hasele'fze 4 'sheets-shea 4 S. B. HASELTINE REFRIGERATOR CAR DOOR FiledJune l, 1956 Dec. 14, 1937.

Patented Dec. 14, 1937 UNITED STATES REFRIGERATOR CAR DOOR Stacy B.'Haseltine, Glen Ellyn, Ill., assigner to W. H. Miner, Inc., Chicago,Ill., a corporation of Delaware Application June 1, 1936, Serial No.82,806

17 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in refrigerator car doors. Y

One object of the invention is to provide a door construction forrefrigerator cars compris- V ing a sliding door member for closing thedoor opening of the car and movable means for supporting the door andguiding the same for movement toward and away from the side of the car,Wherein simple and eiiicient manually actuated means of rugged design isemployed for moving the door laterally into and withdrawing the samefrom the door opening, the actuating means forming a part of thesupporting and guiding means and being so designed that great force isl5'- exerted during the nal closing and initial opening movements of thedoor without subjecting the supporting and guiding means to excessivestrains.

A further object of the invention is to provide means of the characterdescribed in the preceding paragraph, wherein the actuating meansincludes a rotary shaft mounted on the door having means thereonengageable with rugged and substantial keepers for either forcing thedoor tightly closed after it has been moved to partly closed position,or prying the same partly open, and wherein said rotary shaft also formspart of the movable supporting and guiding means for the door and isruggedly connected to the other parts of the latter to form strong andsubstantial supporting means for properly holding and bracing the doorin all positions thereof.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide a doorconstruction for refrigerator cars comprising a door member mounted onswinging crank arms pivotally supported on carriers slidable lengthwiseof the car, wherein the crank arms include rotary operating shaftsjournaled on the door and having keeper engaging means thereoncooperating with rugged keeper means for forcing the door tightly closedand prying the same partly open, the operating shafts being freelyrotatable With respect to said crank arms to eiect the final closing andinitial opening movements of the door and being further automaticallyrigidly locked to said arms to either move the door into the dooropening to partially close the saine or to withdraw the door from thedoor opening after the door has been pried partly open by said keeperengaging means.

Other objects of the invention will more clearly appear from thedescription and claims hereinafter following. 5 In the drawings forminga part of this speciiication, Figure 1 is an elevational View, partlybroken away, of the side Wall of a refrigerator car, illustrating myimprovements in connection therewith, said View showing the door closed.Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view, partly broken away, on anenlarged scale, corresponding substantially to the line 2 2 of Figure 1,showing the end of the door and the operating mechanism in elevation andpartly in section. Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional View,corresponding substantially to the line 3 3 o-f Figure 2. Figure 4 is abroken View similar to Figure 1, on an enlarged scale, of the mechanismat the lower right hand side of Figure 1 and showing the door partlyopen and illustrating certain parts broken away and insection. Figure 5is a horizontal sectional View, corresponding substantially vto the line5 5 of Figure 4. Figure 6 is a broken view similar to Figure 1, on anenlarged scale, showing the mechanism at the right hand lower side ofsaid figure, but illustrating the parts in the position assumed when thedoor is fully withdrawn from the door opening. Figure '7 is a horizontalsectional View, corresponding substantially to the lines 1 1 of Figure9, showing the parts in the position illustrated in Figure 6, theposition of the door being indicated in dotted lines. Figure 8 is ahorizontal sectional View, corresponding substantially to the line 8 8of Figure 6. Figure 9 is a vertical sectional View, correspondingsubstantially to the line 9 9 of Figure 7. Figure 10 is a brokenhorizontal sec-V tional view, corresponding substantially to the line I0 I0 of Figure 9. Figures 11 and 12 are vertical sectional views,corresponding respec. tively to the lines Il ll and I2 I2 of Figure 4.Figure 13 is a View similar to Figure 5 but showing thefparts in adiiierent position. Figure 14 is a view similar to Figure 4, but showingonly the mechanism at the bottom portion of said figure, andillustrating the parts in the position shown in Figure 13. l

In said drawings, 20 indicates the side Wall of the car, which side Wallis provided with Ythe usual door opening 2| closed by a single door 22.The door 22 is slidable lengthwise of the car and is displaceablelaterally to either move the door into or withdraw the same from thedoor opening 2 l. As shown, the cooperating engaging faces of the doorand walls of the door opening are beveled and the usual insulatingpacking material, indicated by 23, is employed to seal the joint betweenthe door and the walls of: the door opening.

My improvements comprise broadly top and bottom tracks A-A; carriers B-Band B--B, cooperating with the tcp and bottom tracks; pairs of top andbottom` supporting journal brackets C-C and C-JJ; a pair of verticallydisposed operating shafts D-D; keeper engaging end members E-E and E-Esecured to the shafts; sets of top and bottom supporting crank arms F-Fand F--F; top and bottom pairs of latch members G-G and G-G for lockingthe crank arms to the end members of the shafts; operating handle levermembers H-H; and a pair of locking or latching members K-K.

The tracks A-A are of similar design 4but are reversely arranged, thetop track facing downwardly and the bottom track facing upwardly. Aswill be understood, the tracks A--A are of such a length that the doormay be slid entirely clear of the door opening 2i. Each track is vin theform of a trough or channel-shaped member. Stop means of any well-knowntype, preferably in the form of a block 24 is provided at the left handend of each track A, as indicated in Figure 1, to limit the slidingmovement of the left hand carriers B-.l

The carriers B-B, which cooperate with the top and bottom tracks, are ofsimilar design, with the exception that the carriers B-B which cooperatewith the lower track are provided with anti-friction rollers, While thecarriers which cooperate with the upper track are not. Each carrier B isin the form of a blocklike casting guided between the side walls of thecorresponding track. Each carrier B has a vertically disposed journalopening 25 adjacent to one end thereof, said opening being for a purposehereinafter described. At the other end the carrier B is provided with akeeper portion 2% having a cam opening or slot 2 therein. A raised camprojection 28 is provided on the carrier B at the inner end portion ofthe keeper 26. A second raised cam member 2Q is provided adjacent theopening 25. The last named cam member is of arc-shaped form andconcentric with the opening 25.

The journal brackets C-C and C-C are secured to the outer side of thedoor 22 and serve to support the crank members F--F and F--F and theoperating shafts DLD. The journal brackets C-C and C-C are of likedesign, except as hereinafter pointed out. Each bracket C is providedwith a verticallydisposed bearing opening 3. Each bracket is alsoprovided with a projecting stop lug 3l at its outer end, adapted tolimit swinging movement of the crank arms F-F with respect to the door22,v as Vhereinafter described. The brackets CC and C-C are arranged inpairs at opposite sides of the door with the members of each pairdisposed respectively at the top and bottom of the door and having theirbearing openings in vertical alignment. The members of each pair arereversely arranged end for end, that is, the upper bracket C has the lug3l at the upper end thereof and the lower bracket C has the lug 3l atits lower end. The lower bracket C of each pair is further provided witha laterally extending lug 32, substantially parallel to the outer faceof the door and spaced from the securing flange of the bracket. This lugS2 serves as a locking means for preventing rotation of the shaft Dwhen` the door is in position to be slid along the tracks A-A.

The shafts D-D, which are in the form of flat bars, are arranged invertical position at opposite ends of the door, as clearly shown inFigure 1. Each shaft D has socket members 33-33 secured to the top andbottom ends thereof. Each socket member 33 has an inner forked portion34 embracing the corresponding end of the shaft D and riveted thereto.At the outer end, each socket member 33 is provided with an opening orsocket 35 adapted to accommodate the inner end portion of thecorresponding keeper engaging end member E.

The keeper engaging end members E-E and E-E are arranged in pairs atopposite ends of the door, the members of each pair being respectivelyconnected to the top and bottom socket members 33-33 of thecorresponding shaft D and rotatably mounted in the top and bottombearing brackets C-C at the corresponding end of the door. Each keeperengaging end member E comprises 'a cylindrical shaft portion 36 having.a relatively short crank arm 31 at the outer end thereof, provided witha keeper engaging lug or pin 33 at its outer end. The shaft portion 36extends through the corresponding bracket C and projects beyond theinner end of said bracket. The projecting end of said shaft is of thecross section shown in Figure 8 and extends into the socket 35 of thecorresponding socket member 33 and is fixed to the latter by a rivet orsimilar securing element extending through the walls of said socket andsaid end portion of the shaft SES. The end members E-E are thus fixed tothe shaft D and form, in eect, an integral part thereof. As shown mostclearly in Figure 10, the crank arm El of each keeper engaging endmember has substantially straight, at, opposite side edges 4B and llladapted to act as stop shoulders as hereinafter pointed out. The shaft36 of each member E projects outwardly beyond the outer end of thecorresponding bracket C and has the crank arm Si thereof spaced fromsaid bracket as shown most clearly in Figures 1, 2, 4, 6, 9, and 14.

'The crank arms F-F and F-F are arranged in pairs at opposite ends ofthe door, the members of each pair being respectively carried by thecorresponding top and bottom carriers B-B. Each crank arm F ishorizontally arranged and has an integral pivot pin member 42 at one endthereof journaled in the opening 25 of the corresponding carrier B. Thearm F is thus mounted for swinging movement on the carrier. The otherend of the arm F is provided with a sleevelike shaft member 43 journaledin the opening 30 of the corresponding bracket C. The sleevelike shaftmember 43 serves as a bearing for the shaft 3S of the correspondingkeeper engaging member E and rotatably supports said shaft 36 inwardlyof the crank arm 3'! thereof. At the outer end of the arm F, aprojecting stop lug lili is provided which extends into the path ofmovement of the arm 3? of the keeper engaging member E and cooperateswith the iiat face of said arm 3'! to limit the rotation in onedirection of the keeper engaging member with respect to the supportingcrank arm F.

' The latch members G-G and G-G are of similar design, one of said latchmembers being carried by each crank arm F. The latch member G of eachcrank arm F is swingingly supported for movement in a vertical plane ina slot 45 provided in the arm F between the ends thereof. As shown mostclearly in Figures 4,11, l2, and 14, the slot 45 faces the correspondingcarrier B and has extended side wall portions adapted to accommodate andsupport a pivot pin 46 extending through the latch member G and on whichthe latter is pivoted. At the inner end, adjacent to the pivot thereof,the latch member G is provided with a tail portion 41 adapted to ride onthe cam projection 29 of the corresponding carrier B. At the outer end,the latch member G is provided with an undercut lip 48 having a straightflat end face 49 adapted to engage the flat face 4I of the arm 31 of thekeeper engaging member E to lock the crank arm F to the crank arm of thekeeper engaging member and cause the crank arm F to rotate in unisonwith the operating shaft D. The bottom face portion of the latch memberG inwardly of and immediately adjacent to the undercut lip 48 thereofcooperates with the Cam projections 28 of the carrier B to raise thelatch to the position shown in Figures l', 2, 3, 4, 5, 12, and 14.

The operating handle levers H-H are of like design and vone of saidhandles is provided for each shaft D. The handle lever H is forked atits inner end, as indicated at 5D, to embrace the shaft D, to which itis pivoted for swinging movement in a vertical plane. The operatinghandle H is of such a length that the hand grip portion thereof willengage in back of the locking lug 32 of the corresponding lower journalbracket C when the handle lever is swung downwardly and the parts assumethe position shown in Figures 6, 7, and 8, and thus lock the dooragainst accidental lateral displacement when the same is being slidalong the tracks A-A.v

The locking members K-K are fixed to the door and serve to latch theoperating handle members H-H in the position shown in Figure 1. Theselocking members are of the type usually employed ,in connection withoperating handles or levers of refrigerator car doors and are used tolock the handles in fixed position when the door is closed. As theselocking or latching members VK-K are well-known in the art and thedetails thereof form no part of the present invention, furtherdescription thereof is not needed. However, it is pointed out that thelocking members illustrated are of the well-known type which are adaptedto receive the ordinary car seals to prevent unauthorized opening of thecar door.

As will be evident from the preceding description, each operating shaftor bar D, together with the rigidly attached keeper engaging end membersE-E and the crank arms F-F, which are connected to the end members E-E,form a unitary means for moving the door into and out of the dooropening, forcing the same tightly closed and prying the same open, theoperation thereof being eected by rotation of the shaft or bar by meansof its pivoted operating handle member.

The operation of my improved mechanism is as follows: In opening thedoor 22, the operating handle lever members H--H may be actuatedsimultaneously or successively. Inasmuch as the operating mechanismcomp-rising the shaft D, the end members E-E and the supporting crankarms F-F at each end of thel door is the same, the operation of one onlyof these mechanisms need be described in connection with the opening andclosing of the door 22. To actuate the shaft D, the operating handlelever H is first unlocked from the corresponding latch or locking memberK. The attendant then pulls the lever G outwardly away from the sidewall of the car, thereby rotating the shaft D and actuating the keeperengaging members E-E at opposite ends of said shaft. During the firstquarter rotation of the shaft D, the lug or pin 3`8 of each keeperengaging member E, which is engaged within the j keeper slot 21 of thecorresponding carrier B, will be swung about the axis of the shaft D,thereby camming the door outwardly from the position shown in Figures 1,2, and 3 to the position shown in Figures 4 and 5. During this action,the latch member G of each crank arm F is held in raised position by thecooperating cam 28, as shown most clearly in Figures 1 and 4, thuspermitting the shaft D to rotate freely with' respect to said crank armsF--F. The door thus is swung outwardly on the supporting crank arms F-Fthrough the action of the keeper engaging members E-E, the inner ends ofthe arms F-F swiveling freely on the shaft portions 36-33 of the keeperengaging members E-E. When the parts reach the position shown in Figure5, the flat side face li@ or" the arm 31 of each keeper engaging memberE comes into engagement with the stop shoulder iii of the correspondingarm F, thereby limiting further relative rotation of the shaft D and thecrank arms F-F. Upon further rotation of the shaft D, the crank armsF--F will be rotated in unison with the shaft D through the shoulderedengagement of the arms 31--31 of the keeper engaging members E--E withthe arms F-F, the latter being thus locked to the shaft D; As the door22 is swung outwardly on the crank arms F-F, the keeper engaging pins orlugs 38-33 will be swung with the arms F-F about the axes of the pivotsi12- 42 thereof, thereby moving the keeper engaging lug 38 of eachelement E clear of the corresponding keeper member 26 from the positionshown in Figures 4 and 5 through the position shownin Figures 13 and l14to the position shown in Figure '1. As the parts move from the positionshown in Figures 4 and 5 beyond the position shown in Figures 13 and 14,the tail 1 of the latch member G will ride up on the cam 29, therebyforcing the lip end of the latch downwardly and engaging the lip 48thereof with the face lll of the crank arm 31 of the correspondingkeeper engaging member to securely lock the shaft D to the correspondingarm F. As shown in Figure 12, the cam 28 is arranged and designed topermit the lowering of the outer end of the latch G. The cam 29 holdsthe latch G in locked position as shown in Figures 6, 7, 9, and 10,during the remaining rotary movement of the shaft D to withdraw the doorcompletely from the door opening 2 I. Rotation of the shaft D ispositively limited by the arms F-F coming into engagement with the stoplugs 3|-3I on the brackets C-C, as shown in Figure '7. When the door hasbeen thus completely Withdrawn, the handle lever G is dropped to theposition shown in Figures 6 and 8 and the hand grip portion thereofengaged in back of the lug 32 of the corresponding lower bracket C,thereby locking the shaft D against rotation and holding the door infixed spaced relation with respect to the car wall during slidingmovement of the door on the tracks A-A. To complete the opening of thedoor, the attendant slides thefsame along the tracks clear of the dooropening 2| In closing the door, the attendant rst slides the same alongthe tracks to bring it into registration with the door opening 2l. Thestop blocks 24--24 on the tracks determine this position by limiting themovement of the carriers at the left hand end of the door as viewed inFigure 1. After the door has kbeen thus positioned, the handle leversH-H of the shafts D-D are raised to horizont-al position, therebyunlocking the same from the lower brackets C-C and freeing the shaftsD-D for rotation. The attendant next swings the handle member H of eachshaft D from the dotted line position shown in Figures 6 and 7 to thefull line position shown in Figure 1, thereby rotating the shaft D in adirection reverse to the Vdirection of movement of the same during thedoor opening operation hereinbefore described. Inasmuch as the shaft Dis locked to the top and bottom crank arms F-F by means of the latchesG-G, the arms F-F will be swung in unison with the shaft D, therebymoving the door 22 inwardly toward the door opening 2l. The latchmembers G-G being controlled by the cams 29-29 will hold the crank armsF-F lockedv to the shaft D until the tail members llit1 of the latchmembers G-G reach the ends of the cams 29-29 and the latch members areraised by riding up on the cam members 28-28. This action will unlockthearms F-F from the shaft D, thus permitting free rotation of the shaftwith respect to said arms F-F. This unlocked condition is reached whenthe parts have been rotated to the positionshown in Figures 13 and 14.As will be seen upon reference to Figure 13, the keeper engaging pin orlug of each member E is at this stage of the operation in a position toenter the cam slot 27 of the corresponding keeper 245. During furtherrotation of the shaft D, the keeper engaging crank pins or lugs 38 camthe door inwardly to force the same tightly into the door opening asshown in Figures l, 2, and 3. The operating handle member is thenlatched to the locking member K and the locking member sealed in theusual manner.

From the preceding description taken in connection with the drawings, itwill be evident that I have provided a very rugged and substantial,manually operated, actuating means for quickly bringing the door toclosed position and pressing the same tightly closed with great forceand forcibly prying the door open and quickly withdrawing the same fromthe door opening, wherein the entire operation is effected by continuousrot-ary movement of the operating shaft and the power transmittedthrough the shaft is automatically transferred from the door forcingmeans to the rapid movement door displacing means, or vice versa, to theend that the opening and closing operations are performed in the mosteicient manner.

I have herein shown and described what I now consider the preferredmanner of carrying out my invention, but the same is merely illustrativeand I contemplate all changes and modifications that come within thescope of the claims appended hereto.

I claim:

l. In a door construction for refrigerator cars havin a wall memberprovided with a door opening, the combination with a door adapted Vtoclose said opening; of a guide track on said wall member; a carrierslidably guided on said track; a rotary operating shaft mounted on saiddoor; keeper means on said carrier; keeper engaging means on said shaftengageable with the keeper means to either force `the door tightlyclosed or pry the same open; and a swinging supporting arm pivoted atone end on said carrier and having the other end journaled on said shaftfor rotation with respect to said shaft about an axis coincident withtheaxis of said shaft.

2. In a door construction for refrigerator cars having a wall memberprovided with a door opening, the combination with a door adapted toclose said opening; of a guide-track on said wall member; a carrierslidably guided on s-aid track; a crank member supporting the door onsaid carrier, said crank member being vpivoted at one end to the carrierand at the other end to the door; an operating shaft rotatably mountedon the door in permanently concentric relation with the pivotalconnection of the crank member; keeper means on the carrier; keeperengaging means on the operating shaft engageable with the keeper; andlatch means for locking the crank arm to the operating shaft forrotation in unison therewith.

3. In a door construction for cars having a wall member provided with adoor opening, the combination with a door adapted to close said opening;of a support; xed keeper means on said support; means for movablymounting said door on said support including a rotary operating shaft onthe door, a radially extending crank arm journaled on said shaft forrotation with respect to said shaft about an axis coincident with theaxis of said shaft, and a crank pin on the outer end of said armswiveled to said support; keeper engaging crank means on said shaftcooperating with said keeper means; and latch means actuated by relativerotation of said crank arm and support in one direction for locking theshaft to the crank arm, and actuated by relative rotation in a reversedirection of said crank arm and support for unlocking said shaft fromthe crank arm.

4. In a door construction for cars having a. wall member provided with adoor opening, the combination with a door for closing said opening; of asupporting member; a supporting crank arm swingingly mounted at one endon said support; an operating shaft journaled in the other end of saidcrank arm for rotation on a fixed axis with respect to said arm; meansfor rotatably supporting said operating shaft on the door;interengageable cooperating means on said shaft and supporting memberfor moving the door inwardly and outwardly upon rotation of said shaft;and automatically actuated locking means operated by relative movementof said crank arm and supporting member for locking the shaft to andVunlocking the same from said crank arm.

5. In a door construction for cars having a wall member provided with adoor opening, the combination with a door for closing said opening; of asupporting member provided with a cam slot; an operating shaft rotatablymounted on the door; rigid crank means on said shaft engageable withsaid cam slot for moving the door inwardly and outwardly upon rotationof said shaft; means for movably mounting the door on said supportingmember comprising a crank arm swingingly mounted at one end on saidsupporting member and having the other end thereof journaled on saidshaft for rotation on said shaft about an axis concentric with the axislof rotation of said shaft; a latch member on said crank arm for lockingsaid arm to the shaft for rotation therewith; and means actuated throughrelative swinging movement of said crank arm and supporting member foractuating said latch member.

6. In a door construction for cars having a wall member provided with adoor opening, the combination with a door for closing said opening; of abearing bracket on the door; a support; a crank arm having a hollowsleeve-like shaft at one end journaledin said bearing bracket, the otherend of said arm being pivotally connected to said support; a rotaryoperating shaft journaled in said sleeve-like shaft; and cooperatingkeeper and keeper engaging means on said support and shaft. Y

7. In a door construction for cars having a wall member provided-with adoor opening, the combination with a door forclosing said opening; of.a-bearing bracket on the door; a support; a crank arm having a hollowsleeve-like shaft at one endrjournaled in said bearing bracket, theother end of said arm being pivotally connected to` said support; arotary operating shaft journaled in said sleeve-like shaft; cooperatingkeeper and keeper engaging means on'saicl support and shaft; and latchmeans on said crank arm for locking said shaft for rotation in unisonwith the latter.

8. In a door construction for cars having a wall member provided with adoor opening, the combination with a door for closing said opening; of abearing bracket on the door; a support; a crank arm having a hollowsleeve-like shaft at one end journaled in said bearing bracket, theother end of said arm being pivotally connected to said support; arotary operating shaft journaled in said sleeve-like shaft; cooperatingkeeper and keeper engaging means on said support and shaft; a latchmember on said crank arm engageable with the shaft for locking thelatter to said crank arm; and means for actuating said latch membercontrolled by relative movement of said crank arm with respect to thesupport.

9. In a door construction for refrigerator cars having a wall memberprovided with a door opening, the combination with a door for closingsaid opening; of a support; a crank member swingingly mounted at one endon said support and journaled to the door at the other end for pivotalswinging movement; an operating shaft mounted on the door for rotationabout an axis concentric with the axis of pivotal swinging movement ofthe crank member on the door; keeper means on said support; means onsaid shaft engageable with the keeper means for moving said door; andmeans for automatically locking said crank member to said shaft whilesaid keeper engaging means is disengaged from said keeper means.

l0. In a door construction for cars having a wall member provided with adoor opening, the combination with a door for closing said opening; ofkeepers with respect to which said door is movable; swinging arms forsupporting said door and guiding the same into and out of the dooropening, each of said arms being pivotally mounted on the door; manuallyactuated rotary operating means mounted on the door; means operativelyconnecting said operating means to the swinging arms for actuating thelatter through rotation of said operating means to either move the doorinto the door opening to partially closed position or withdraw the doorfrom the door opening after it has been partially opened; and keeperengaging means fixed to said rotary operating means engageable with saidkeepers for either forcing the door tightly closed after it has beenmoved to said partly closed position, or prying said door partiallyopen.

Al l. In a door construction for refrigerator cars having a wall memberprovided with a door opening, the combination with a door adapted toclose said opening; of guide tracks on said wall member above and belowsaid door opening; a carrier slidably guided on each track; keeper meanson each carrier; a supporting arm swingingly connected to each carrier;means pivotally connecting each arm to the door; a rotary operatingshaft mounted on the door; means for locking said shaft to the arms forswinging the latter to move the door into and away from the dooropening; and keeper engaging means on said operating member engageablewith said keeper meansffor either forcing the door tightly yclosed orprying thesame-open. V Y- 1-2.-In va door construction for refrigeratorcars having a Wall member provided with a door opening, the combinationwith a door adapted to close said opening; of guide tracks on said wallmember above and below said door opening; a carrier slidably guided oneach track; keeper means on each carrier; Ytop and bottom sleevelikeshaft members journaled on the door, said shafts being in axialalignment; a radial supporting arm on each shaft, the outer end of saidarms being pivotally connected to lsaid carriers respectively; amanually actuated rotary operating shaft having its opposite endsjournaled in said aligned sleevelike shaft members, said operating shafthaving rotary movement to aV limited extent with respect to saidsleevelike shaft members; means on said operating shaft engageable withthe keeper means for either forcing the door into the door opening orprying the same free of said opening while the operating shaft isrotated to said limited extent; and means for locking said rotaryoperating shaft to said supporting arms to swing the latter to move thedoor into and out of the door opening.

13. In a door construction for refrigerator cars having a wall memberprovided with a door opening, the combination with a door adapted toclose said opening; of guide tracks on said wall member above and belowsaid door opening; a carrier slidably guided on each track; keeper meanson each carrier; a swinging arm pivoted to each carrier; pivot meansconnecting each of said arms to the door for supporting the latter; arotary operating member on the door; keeper engaging means onsaidoperating member engageable with saidkeeper means; and means forautomatically locking the rotary operating member to said-swinging armsfor actuating the latter.

14. In a door construction for refrigerator cars having a wall memberprovided with a door opening, the combination with a door adapted toclose said opening; of guide tracks on said wall member above and belowsaid door opening; a carrier slidably guided on each track, each carrierhaving a keeper slot therein; a supporting arm swingingly mounted oneac-h carrier; pivot means rotatably connecting each of said arms to thedoor; an operating shaft coaxial with said pivot means and extendingtherethrough; crank means on said shaft engageable with the keeperslots; a latch member on each arm cooperating with the shaft to lock thearm thereto; and cam means on said carriers for actuating said latchmembers upon movement of said arms with respect to said carriers.

15. In a door construction for refrigerator cars having a wall memberprovided with a door opening, the combination with a door adapted toclose said opening; of a support; a supporting arm for the door, saidarm being pivotally connected at one end to said support and having anintegral bearing sleeve at the other end; a bearing bracket on the doorin which said sleeve is rotatably journaled; a rotary operating shaftextending through said sleeve and rotatably journaled therein; a lockingshoulder on said shaft; a pivoted latch member on said arm engageablewith said locking shoulder for locking the arm to the shaft for rotationwith the latter; an eccentric keeper engaging y member on said shaft;and keeper means on said support cooperating with said keeper engagingmember.

16. In a door construction for refrigerator cars having a wall memberprovided with a door opening, the combination with a door adapted t0close said opening; of a rotary operating shaft, said shaft havingkeeper engaging means thereon adapted to engage with fixed keeper means;supporting and guiding crank arms for the door pivotally connected tothe door for swinging movement on an axis coaxial With the axis ofrotation of said shaft; interengaging shoulders on said shaft and crankarms for effecting movement of said arm in unison with said shaft; alatch member on said arm; and means actuated through swinging movementof said arm for throwing the latch member into and out of lockingengagement with said shaft to lock said arm to said shaft.

17. In a door supporting and actuating means,

the combination with a supporting member; of keeper means onsaid member;a supporting arm having laterally projecting shaft members at oppositeends thereof, one of said shaft members being journaled on saidsupporting member, and the other shaft being in the form of a hollowsleeve; a bearing bracket on the door in which said hollow sleeve isjournaled; an operating shaft extending through said sleeve androtatably journaled therein; keeper engaging means on said shaftincluding a crank arm provided With a crank pin, said crank arm havingflat stoprfaces on opposite sides thereof; a shoulder on said supportingarm engageable by one of said stop faces; and a pivoted locking memberon said arm 15 engageable with the other of said stop faces.

STACY B. HASELTINE.

